Some prefer watching the ball drop from their couch, and others like the midnight fireworks over downtown Denver.

We like our New Year’s Eve musical and around friends new and old, which is why we’ll cross into 2010 at one of these 10 Denver/Boulder shows.

Note: Some of these bands are playing multiple nights at various venues, but all the shows below will happen on Thursday — a.k.a. New Year’s Eve.

The Knew, Faceman, Brothers O’Hair and DJ Patrick Lee; Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St.: The cool, in-the-know kids are calling it the Knew Year’s Eve Party, and we’d be honored to ring in the holiday with the Knew, one of Denver’s rockingest bands. Surely they’ll play some stuff off the new record set for release in March. $10, bigmarkstickets.com

STS9, Big Gigantic, Virtual Boy, St. Andrew; Wells Fargo Theatre, 700 14th St.: These livetronica favorites are all about the party. STS9 shows are exercises in sensory exploration, from the improvisational electronic music to the fantastical lights and production. The word on the street: STS9 is going overboard with production for these shows, so be prepared. $65, ticketmaster.comPaper Bird, These United States, Dovekins; Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway: One of the holiday’s strongest bills, this show will thrive off Paper Bird’s folksy harmonies and the infectious roots-rock of Washington, D.C.’s, These United States. $15-$20, hi-dive.comRJD2, Savoy, Daedelus, Heavyweight Dub Champion, Jogger; City Hall, 1144 Broadway: This bill of hip-hop/electro should make for a creative aesthetic, especially when you combine RJ’s savvy production and Savoy’s ability to hype an audience. $40-$50, coclubs.comDeVotchKa, Gregory Alan Isakov; Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St.: DeVotchKa is one of Colorado’s premier special-occasion bands, and the gypsy/mariachi/pop hybrid always goes the extra mile for its holiday shows. $47, devotchka.net

Greyboy Allstars, Kinetix: Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave.: The acid jazz will run freely at the Ogden when DJ Greyboy, Karl Denson and their buddies take the room over. $42.50-$50, ticketmaster.com

P-NUCKLE, Guerrilla Jazz, Can’t Quite Get Right; Herman’s Hideaway, 1578 S. Broadway: The fans at Herman’s are familiar with P-NUCKLE’s ska-kissed rock ‘n’ roll jams, as the band is something of a New Year’s Eve tradition at the Denver rock club. $10, hermanshideaway.comPepper, Passafire, B-Times; Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder: The pop-reggae fiends in Pepper relocated from the Hawaiian Islands to Southern California a decade ago, but their music is still linked with the laid-back vibes associated with their home state. $45.25-$50, foxtheatre.comCracker, Rosalie;Soiled Dove, 7401 E. First Ave.: Yes, Cracker still performs “Euro-Trash Girl” — and “Low,” for that matter — in its live shows. Yes, those shows are still wild, brazen, often-drunken sing-along affairs. Yes, this will be a great night at the Dove. $40-$60, soiled dove.com

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Munly and the Lupercalians; Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave.: Slim Cessna shows are part tent revival, part gothic-country hoedown. They are a wholly unique experience as Slim guides his group through the spectrum of good and evil, and the band’s New Year’s shows are the thing of legend with toothpick-thin Slim crowd-surfing over a sea of champagne-bottle-wielding fans. $26-$31, ticketmaster.comRicardo Baca

10 more: An Eve of music, fireworks and parties

Downtown Denver

Did you know Denver’s New Year’s Eve fireworks are ranked in the top 10 in the United States? There are two identical shows, at 9 p.m. and midnight, this year. Stand anywhere you want along 16th Street and look skyward. 16th Street Mall, downtowndenver.com

Presents “On the Spot on New Year’s Eve” at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Four players and one moderator play improv games based on audience suggestions. Tickets are $25. 1527 Champa St., 303-758-4722, bovinemetropolis.com

First Night Fort Collins

The 14th annual “First Night Fort Collins: Legends in the Night” celebration offers 100 performances of dance, theater, song, comedy, art, storytelling and more for all ages, 6-10:45 p.m. A Kids’ Countdown begins at 5 p.m. Purchase a $10 button for admission, children six and under free with paying adult. Downtown Fort Collins, 970-484- 6500, downtownfortcollins.com

Grand Hyatt Denver

The hotel has again partnered with MIX 100 FM for a celebration offering three areas of entertainment. There’s live music by The Nacho Men, an 80’s and 90’s dance party, and a dueling piano bar. Dancing, a light buffet and an open bar is included along with balloon drops, champagne toast and party favors, 8 p.m.-1 a.m. $109 per person. 1750 Welton St., 303-295-1234, grandhyattdenvernye.com

Offering a New Year’s Eve Package including Impulse Theater Comedy Show, dinner at the Wynkoop, live DJ, party favors and a champagne toast. Early Show Package (7:30 p.m.) is $55 per person, Late Show Package (9:30 p.m.) is $70 per person. Show-only tickets also available. Reservations encouraged. 1634 18th St., 303-297-2111, impulsetheater.com

La Sandia

The second annual NYE Foxy Bash is hosted by G-Man (formerly with 103.5 the Fox) with music from DJ Patrick Allen and DJ Mr. Groove along with video projections, two floors featuring five bars plus two tequila bars, a balloon drop and more, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Tickets are $50 general admission per person, $80 VIP per person or general admission couple, $150 VIP couple. The Vistas at Park Meadows Mall, 8419 Park Meadows Center Drive, Lone Tree, 303-586-5511, newyearsdenver.com

Mercury Cafe

A special New Year’s Eve menu starts at 5:30 p.m. with a variety of live entertainment scheduled throughout the night including the annual Erotica Poetry Festival, live music with DeVotchKa and Gregory Allan Isakov, DJ Kenny Nelson, jazz and classical musicians and more. Admission varies. Dinner reservations recommended. 2199 California St., 303-294- 9258, mercurycafe.com

The Ritz-Carlton, Denver

The eighth annual White Rose Gala features actors, dancers and musicians performing in connection to the “Heavenly Bodies” theme carried out in all six second-floor ballrooms. Recommended attire is white evening gowns and all-black or all-white formal attire for men. Feathers, crystals and flowers are also encouraged. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Visit the website for tickets and reservations. 1881 Curtis St., whiterosegala.com

Ricardo Baca is the editor of The Cannabist. After 12 years as The Denver Post's music critic and a couple more as the paper's entertainment editor, he was tapped to become The Post's first ever marijuana editor and create The Cannabist in late-2013. Baca also founded music blog Reverb and co-founded music festival The UMS.